Wall assembly



June 21, 1966 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 M. E. FARMER WALL ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

INVE T R. MELVILLE gunman AT TORNEY 3,256,666 WALL ASSEMBLY Melville E. Farmer, 2551 Crestview Drive, Newport Beach, Calif. Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,361 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-481) This invention relates to a demountable wall assembly of the type which utilizes interconnecting support studs and panel fasteners. More particularly, it relates to such an assembly wherein the fasteners are unexposed when the panels are in assembled condition, and wherein the studs and fasteners are so related that the panels readily may be installed or removed.

-Demountable walls are Well known, and are used extensively in otfice buildings, schools, institutions, and the like. Various materials have been employed in wall panels, and a number of different systems of installation have been designed in efforts to accommodate particular types of panels and to create more pleasing appearances. A common method of demountably securing a wall panel to a support utilizes metal studs having slots of a particular configuration. Sheet buttons, threaded or otherwise secured to the back face of a panel, are engaged in the slots and held tightly therein by a spring biased collar on each button coacting with cam portions adjacent the periphery of each slot. This arrangement, which is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,081,368, provides a wall assemblywith unexposed fasteners, but is limited to wall panels made of asbestos-cement or other composition possessing enough strength to resist pullout of the sheet button-s.

Another demountable wall arrangement utilizing slotted studs and interconnecting buttons is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,014,419. This arrangement employs spaced flanged clips, the body portions of which are positioned between the edges of adjacent panels and carry integral projections or buttons for engaging slotted studs. Resilient flanges extending [from the :body portions engage the outer surfaces of the wall panels adjacent the clips and hold the panels against the stud. This arrangement permits the use of relatively low strength panels because they are not directly attached to the buttons and thus do not have to resist pullout stresses. Since the resulting panel joints are open, however, with the clips and stud exposed to view, an elongated snap-in cover is required to enhance the appearance of the assembly. Although the patented arrangement provides a method of assembling wall panels of relatively low strength, both the necessity for an elongated cover strip of relatively complicated design and the difficulty encountered in utilizing a spring-loaded sheet button, as disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent No. 2,081,368, reveal the need for improving this method of demountably attaching wall panels to studs.

Another example of a demountable wall assembly utilizing flanged clips is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,066,- 205, wherein flanged snap-in clips are engaged in slots in adjacent panels-and are connected to specially shaped complementary strips nailed to existing wooden studs. In this arrangement, the snap-in clips are not exposed to view; however, this assembly results in a wall of relatively great thickness, requires strips of rather compli- United States Patent I Patented June 21, 1966 strength and/or toughness securely to spaced support studs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a demountable wall assembly which can be installed and demounted rapidly and easily.

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical demountable wall assembly which presents an attractive wall surface.

Briefly, the invention comprises a continuous spline secured to each stud, and a flange extending outwardly from each side of the spline substantially parallel to the wall, each wall panel having slots in the side edges thereof for receiving the flanges. In this manner, the flanges of the spline hold adjacent panels against the associated support stud without being exposed to view and without requiring the panels themselves to possess sufiicient strength to contribute toward the effectiveness of the securing means. Furthermore, by providing a continuous spline, the wall panels are engaged and held tightly against a support stud throughout the entire panel length, rather than only along spaced short portions thereof. The wall panels may be formed of relatively weak, friable ma .terial, such as gypsum, for example, by laminating together two gypsum boards or sheets, a slot being provided along the side edges of the panel substantially coinciding with the adjacent surfaces of the sheets. By this expedient, a slot is provided without requiring the usual covering paper on the gypsum sheets to be broken, thus precluding any possible fracture or crumbling of the panel material due to pressures exerted on the edge portions of the panels by theflanges of the splines.

The nature of the invention will be more fully understood and other objects may become apparent, when the following detailed description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a demountable wall assembly with a portion of the wall panels cut away to show a supporting stud;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment for attaching wall panels to a supporting stud;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified arrangement of the panel fastening means;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a modified wall panel;

FIG. 6 is an end view of another modified wall panel;

FIG. 7 is an end view of a modified panel joint;

FIG. 8 is an end view of another modified panel joint; FIG. 9 is an end view of another modified wall panel; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through a corner of intersecting demountable wall panels.

Referring to FIG. 1 a demountable Wall assembly 10 comprises a plurality of wall panels 12 secured to spaced vertical support studs 14, each having a plurality of slots 16 for receiving panel fastening means. The upper extremities of both the support studs and panels are received in channels 18 attached to the ceiling and the lower extremities of both the support studs and panels are received in channels 20 attached to the floor. Molding, not shown, may be provided at the floor and ceiling channels to finish the installation and present a neat, clean appearance. One embodiment for attaching wall panels to support studs is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein, the panels 12 comprise laminated boards or sheets 22 and 24 of equal width. The back surface of the outer board 22 is relieved adjacent its side edge to form a slot 26 extending the full length of panel 12. This arrangement is especially suited for panels of relatively low strength friable material which might be excessively weakened if a slot or groove were formed in the side edge thereof.

This is particularly true of panels made of gypsum board, which is manufactured with covering paper extending around the side edges thereof. By laminating two such boards together, it is not necessary to remove or damage the covering paper, thereby maintaining each board at full strength.

The panels 12 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive a spline member 28, which extends substantially the full length of the panels and is provided with outwardly extending flanges 30 received by the slots 26. In order to insure a proper fit and to facilitate installation of the panels, the width of the flanges 30 should be less than the depth of the slots 26, and the width of the splines 28 should be less than the desired spacing between panels 12. Provided in the body of the spline 28 and facing the stud 14 is a groove 32 extending the full length of the spline. A plurality of ribs or serrations 34 are provided on the side walls of the groove 32 in such manner that the ribs on one wall are parallel but staggered with respect to the ribs on the opposite wall, thereby causing the ribs to mate with a threaded fastener member 36 of suitable pitch inserted in the groove at any point along its length. Although this is one acceptable arrangement, the spline 28 obviously could be provided with other types of fastener receiving means. For example, the side walls of the groove 32 could be smooth instead of serrated, and a self-tapping screw could be inserted at any point along the length thereof. Another possibility is to tap holes in a solid spline at predetermined points along the length thereof to receive threaded fasteners.

The fastener 36 extends through the slot 16 of the stud 14 and carries a slidably disposed collar 38 and sleeve 39. Disposed between the screw head 40 and the bottom of collar 38 is a spring 42 biasing the collar toward the spline 28. The stud 14, comprised of wall 44 connecting the ends of parallel walls 46, is provided with raised portions or projections 48 around the periphery of the slots 16. The projections 48 act as camming tracks in cooperation with the collar 38, so that by inserting the fastener '36 and collar 38 through the uppermost or widest portion of the slit 16, and pushing the fastener down toward the lowermost extremity of the slot, the projection 48 will earn the collar 38 in a direction away from the spline 28 and toward the screw head 40, thereby further compressing the spring 42 and increasing the force exerted by it on the collar 38. This arrangement causes the wall panels 12 to be held tightly between the flanges 30 and the walls 46 of the stud 14 when the sheet buttons are in their locked position at the lowermost extremity of the slot 16, and it also permits easy withdrawal of the buttons from the uppermost extremity of the slot if it is desired to remove the panels, since the spring 42 acts to force the collar 38 back through the widest portion of the slot. If it is desired to cover the gap between the outermost panels 22, a resilient strip or bead 50 may be provided. As illustrated, the strip is of channel configuration and is formed of a resilient material, such as, for example, aluminum, or a suitable plastic. Obviously, the strip 50 need not be limited to the shape illustrated so long as it remains in place between the outermost panels 22 and is easily removable.

Referring to FIG. 4, a modification of the wall panel fastening means is shown, wherein the spline 52 is comprised of a solid elongated member provided with flanges 54 extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof. Plastic sheet buttons 56 are secured to the back surface of the spline at predetermined points along the length thereof by means of a suitable adhesive 58. The head portion 60 of the plastic buttons 56 are resilient so that they provide the same function as the combined action of the spring and collar in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the head 60 of a button 56 would be in the position indicated by 1 that purpose.

dotted lines when it is first inserted through the wide portion of the slot 16, and after being cammed by the projection 48, the head would assume the full line position, thus exerting a force against the projection toward the spline 52. It can be seen that in either the embodiment of FIG. 4 or that of FIGS. 2 and 3 the panels 12 are securely held between the flanges of the spline and the wall 46 of the stud 14.

Referring to FIG. 5, a modified wall panel 62 is comprised of boards 64 and 66 laminated to a separating sheet 68 of less width than the boards. In this manner, the boards 64 and 66 are separated along the side edges thereof, thereby forming a slot 70 without requiring specially shaped panels or any slotting operation to be performed. The separating material 68 is advantagously comprised of a fibrous felt, although it is obvious that any other suitable material may be used for It is not necessary that the separating member 68 extend continuously throughout the panel 62 but may merely comprise strips of material spaced along the length and width of the panel 62 in such manner as to maintain the boards 64 and 66 in spaced relation.

Referring to FIG. 6, a further modification of a panel may comprise a sheet or panel 72 of suitable material provided with a slot 74 along each side edge thereof. This arrangement is preferably used with materials possessing adequate strength to resist the stresses applied by the flanges of the spline members.

Referring to FIG. 7, a modified joint arrangement between adjacent panels is shown which does not require the use of a filler strip or bead. In this embodiment, panels 76, comprised of laminated boards 78 and 80, abut in a V-joint formed by beveled surfaces 82 in the edges of outermost boards 78. In order to provide abutting panels, it is necessary that the outermost boards 78 be provided with a greater width than the boards 80. Specifically, the boards 78 should overlap the boards by a distance on each side equal to one-half the spacing required for receiving the spline between adjacent boards 80.

Referring to FIG. 8, a further embodiment of the joint between adjacent panels may take the form of a straight butt joint. In this arrangement, panels 86 are comprised of laminated boards 88 and 90, the outermost boards 88 overlapping the boards 90 and being provided with a side edge surface at right angles to the face of the panel,

so that adjacent outermost boards 88 abut, as indicated at 91. It should be understood that although the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 have been described with respect to laminated panels, these joint arrangements also may be provided in panels formed of a single sheet of material having a slotted edge.

Referring to FIG. 9, a further modification of a Wall panel is shown which may be provided if it is desired to use panels of greater width than the distance between studs. The inner boards 22' of the laminated panel are identical with the boards 22 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but they are laminated to an outer board 93 of more than twice the width of each board 22. As illustrated, the recessed portions of the boards 22' adjacent the extremities of the board 93 form slots 26 for receiving the flanges of splines, as described above in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3. The recessed portions of the boards 22 adjacent each other form slots 92 spaced a suitable distance apart to receive a flanged spline. With this arrangement, the wall panels are secured to the studs in the same manner as in FIGS. 2 and 3, but the exposed wall surface presents the appearance of being formed from panels corresponding to-the Width of board 93, which width is twice the distance between adjacent studs.

94 extends from floor to ceiling and is provided with inwardly extending projections 96 carrying ribbed or =threaded fastener receiving means. Attached by suitable fastening means, such as screws, are a plurality of right angle support plates 98 spaced along the length of the cover plate 94. A stud 14 is secured to one of the walls of the support plates 98 by suitable fastening means such as bolts or screws. Splines 28 with flanges 30 are attached to the stud 14 by means of the slots and fastener means described above. The wall panel 100 is secured to the stud 14 by the spline 28 with flange 30 engaged in the slot 102, the outer board of the wall panel 100 extending beyond the inner sheet a distance suificient to completely cover the flanges 30 of the spline 38. As illustrated, the side edge of the outer board of one of the panels 100 abuts the support plate 98, and the side edge of the outer board of the other panel 100 abuts the projection 96.

Another method of attaching wall panels to a corner support is illustrated in FIG. by panels 12 which are similar to those panels illustrated to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Relatively thin projecting strips 104 of similar dimensions Similar to those of the flanges 30 of the splines 28 are connected to and project from one side of the support plates 98 and are received by the slots 26 in the wall panels 12. As illustrated, both the inner and outer boards of the wall panel 12 are flush with the support plate 98.

To install the demountable wall assembly of the present invention, floor and ceiling channels are first set in place, after Which door frames and studs are installed from the floor to the ceiling within the floor and ceiling channels. The studs preferably are spaced about 24 inches apart; however, this may vary according to the designs of each wall installation. After the studs have been set in place, electrical services readily may be installed, after which the installation of the wall panels is begun at a door frame, or a corner if the wall contains no door. The panels may be attached to the door frame or corner support by either of the attaching means illustrated in FIG. 10, that is, either by projections 104 or splines 28. With one edge of the panel in place, the other edge is held against the adjacent supporting stud and a spline 28 is positioned in place with One flange 30 inserted in the slot of the panel and with the buttons extending through the slots 16. The spline is locked in place by moving it downwardly, causing the projections 48 to coact with the buttons, as described previously. The next panel is engaged with the other flange 30 of the spline and is secured to the next stud in the manner just described. This procedure is followed until the last panel is ready to be connected to the corner support. At this point, a panel 100 is used, one side edge of which contains the usual slot configuration while the other side edge of which is arranged with the outer board overlapping the inner board, as illustrated in FIG. 10. The spline associated with the stud adjacent the corner support is not secured to the stud until the last panel is positioned. This procedure permits the last panel to be pivoted into place about its vertical edge adjacent the corner support without the fixed corner support obstructing the panel movement, which would not be possible if the spline between the last panel and the second-last panel had been locked in place as in the usual procedure described above. The corner spline and the spline adjacent thereto are then both moved downwardly into locked position. The last panel cannot be secured to the corner support by means of a projecting strip or flange 104 since there would not be sutficient room to maneuver the of the corner panel into place. The projecting strip or flange 104 is utilized to secured a wall panel to a stud only when the installation of a wall assembly is begun at that point.

It should now be apparent that the present invention provides a demountable wall assembly which can be rapidstruction and may be manufactured economically and independently of each other.

Although, as indicated above, other types of panels may be employed, the present invention permits relatively weak, friable material to be utilized in laminated panels.

This is particularly advantageous when gypsum boards are employed, since the preferred slot arrangement permits the edge covering paper on gypsum boards to remain intact, thereby maintaining the sheet edges at maximum strength.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It also is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein but only in accordance with the appended claims, when read in the light of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim is:

1. A wall assembly comprising (a) a plurality of spaced, metallic, vertical support studs,

(h) each stud having a plurality of preformed vertically spaced slots in at least one face thereof, (c) a plurality of wall panels having front and back faces connected by side edges,

(d) the side edges of each panel being positioned adjacent the side edge of another panel and adjacent a stud face having slots therein,

(e) each panel having a slot in each side edge extending substantially the full length thereof,

(f) a plurality of splines,

(g) flanges extending from opposite sides of each spline and fitted in the slots of adjacent panels,

(h) each spline having a groove running substantially the full length of the spline, the groove being located between the flanges and facing the adjacent stud,

(i) fastening buttons removably attached to the splines in the groove thereof and extending therefrom toward the adjacent stud face,

(i) each button extending through one of the preformed slots in the adjacent stud face,

(k) a radially extending projection on the portion of each button extending through the slot,

(1) means biasing said projection against the opposite side of the stud face and adjacent the slot, and (m) the splines and panels being so related that the side edge portion of the panels between the slots and the back faces thereof are held between the flanges of the splines and the studs.

2. A wall assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the fastening buttons are threadedly engaged in the grooves in the splines.

3. A wall assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the stud comprises additionally another face spaced from and parallel to the first mentioned face, the other face being slotted in the same manner as the first face and supporting a wall assembly similar to the assembly supported by the first mentioned face.

4. A wall assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each panel comprises two laminated boards, at least one of the boards having a recessed face adjacent the side edge thereof, said face being opposite the exposed face of the board, thereby forming the panel slot.

5. A wall assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the panel comprises two boards bonded to a spacer, the spacer terminating a predetermined distance from the side edges of the boards, the resulting gaps between the side edge portions of the boards forming the panel slots.

6. A wall assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein the boards are comprised of gypsum composition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Buchanan 20-4 Voigt 50-405 Voigt 50-204 Pretot 50-401 Mackin.

8 2,294,556 9/1942 Henderson 5o 401 2,362,252 11/1944 Elinwood 20 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 536,270 1957 Canada.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

10 J. E. MURTAGH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WALL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING (A) A PLURALITY OF SPACED, METALLIC, VERTICAL SUPPORT STUDS, (B) EACH STUD HAVING A PLURALITY OF PREFORMED VERTICALLY SPACED SLOTS IN AT LEAST ONE FACE THEREOF, (C) A PLURALITY OF WALL PANELS HAVING FRONT AND BACK FACES CONNECTED BY SIDE EDGES, (D) THE SIDE EDGES OF EACH PANEL BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGE OF ANOTHER PANEL AND ADJACENT A STUD FACE HAVING SLOTS THEREIN, (E) EACH PANEL HAVING A SLOT IN EACH SIDE EDGE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF, (F) A PLURALITY OF SPLINES, (G) FLANGES EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH SPLINE AND FITTED IN THE SLOTS OF ADJACENT PANELS, (H) EACH SPLINE HAVING A GROOVE RUNNING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF THE SPLINE, THE GROOVE BEING LOCATED BETWEEN THE FLANGES AND FACING THE ADJACENT STUD, (I) FASTENING BUTTONS REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE SPLINES IN THE GROOVE THEREOF AND EXTENDING THEREFROM TOWARD THE ADJACENT STUD FACE, (J) EACH BUTTON EXTENDING THROUGH ONE OF THE PREFORMED SLOTS IN THE ADJACENT STUD FACE, (K) A RADIALLY EXTENDING PROJECTION ON THE PORTION OF EACH BUTTON EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT, (L) MEANS BIASING SAID PROJECTION AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STUD FACE AND ADJACENT THE SLOT, AND (M) THE SPLINES AND PANELS BEING SO RELATED THAT THE SIDE EDGE PORTION OF THE PANELS BETWEEN THE SLOTS AND THE BACK FACES THEREOF ARE HELD BETWEEN THE FLANGES OF THE SPLINES AND THE STUDS. 